Total Annual Figures for Compromise Agreements, etc.

The request was successful.

Dear Banbridge District Council,

Please supply totals for the following:

Since the inception of Banbridge District Council, or as far as records go back, the annual figures for the total number of current employees or ex-employees of Banbridge District Council who have signed compromise agreements directly related to the resolving of dispute(s) / grievance(s) / internal and external investigation(s) / whistleblowing incident(s).

In addition to this, annual figures for the number of current employees / ex-employees who have agreed, following the matter being raised and made conditional as part of a compromise agreement drawn up by the body acting as Banbridge District Council's legal team, to forgo their right to approach the council in the future with Freedom of Information and/or DPA Subject Access requests under the relevant Acts.

Please note that I do not seek or require any personal information such as names and addresses – only the total figures for each subject area.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Cardin

Elaine Gillespie, Banbridge District Council

Dear sir/Madam,

We acknowledge receipt of your FOI request received by email on the 1^st
January 2011. A response will be sent in due course.

Kind regards

Elaine Gillespie

Head of Community Planning

Banbridge District Council

Downshire Road

Banbridge

Tel: 02840660644

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Deborah Kelly, Banbridge District Council

Dear Mr Cardin

Many thanks for your FOI request which has been forwarded to me for
attention.

I would provide the following information in reply to your request:-

1. Annual figures for the total number of current employees or
ex-employees of Banbridge District Council who have signed
compromise
agreements directly related to the resolving of dispute(s)/
grievance(s)/internal and external investigation(s)/whistleblowing
incident(s)

Total = 3 (ie, one in 1998, one in 2001 and one in 2008)

2. Annual figures for the number of current employees/ex-employees who
have agreed, following the matter being raised and made conditional
as
part of a compromise agreement drawn up by the body acting as
Banbridge District Council's legal team, to forgo their right to
approach the council in the future with Freedom of Information
and/or
DPA Subject Access requests under the relevant Acts

Total = 0

I hope this information is useful, but if you require any further
assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Deborah Kelly

Human Resources Officer

Banbridge District Council

Tel: 028 4066 0608

Fax: 028 4066 0601

Email: [email address]

show quoted sections

Dear Deborah Kelly,

Many thanks,

Yours sincerely,

Paul Cardin

Paul Cardin left an annotation ()

Banbridge District Council were one of the quickest respondents of the 345 councils asked, taking only 6 days to respond positively and in full.

Please link here to read about the further aspects of this request:

www.easyvirtualassistance.co.uk/page4.html

...including councils who have attempted to prevent individuals from exercising their statutory FOI / DP querying rights.

There is a growing trend for the use of compromise agreements, not just in the area of disputes or whistleblowing, but also in general redundancy or equal pay claims. Some councils have yet to answer this query - although to date, 65 working days have elapsed.

Paul Cardin left an annotation ()

Update here on Freedom of Information gagging clauses, including the opinion of senior counsel, Hugh Tomlinson QC:

http://easyvirtualassistance.wordpress.c...